Psalm 24: Blessed by God

Psalm 24    A Psalm of David    (NRSV)

The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it;
for [God] has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers.

Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? 
And who shall stand in [God’s] holy place?

Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,
who do not lift up their souls to what is false,
and do not swear deceitfully.

They will receive blessing from the Lord,
and vindication from the God of their salvation.
Such is the company of those who seek [God],
who seek the face of the God of Jacob.          Selah

Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors!  that the King of glory may come in.
Who is the King of glory?  The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?  The Lord of hosts, [God] is the King of glory.                              Selah

Context:  Through Psalm 15 we asked “Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord?  Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?”   (Psalm 15:1)  This week, through Psalm 24 we ask, “Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?  And who shall stand in [God’s] holy place?” (Psalm 24:3)  Both Psalm 15 and Psalm 24 were entrance liturgies, which mean they may have been used by worshippers as they approached the temple.  The psalms refer to the “hill” which was most likely Mount Moriah.   The First Temple which was built by Solomon with precise instructions from God through the prophets was an ornate and royal tribute to God.  Solomon’s temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE, rebuilt more simply by the returning exiles and dedicated in 515 BCE but desecrated in the course of history, finally to be known as Herod’s Temple and destroyed in 70 CE.  Only the western wall of the Jewish Temple stands on the hill of the Lord today in the section of Jerusalem known as the Old City Section.  The “Wailing” Wall shares that mountain space on the “hill” with the Dome of the Rock which is an Islamic shrine.  Pilgrims still make their pilgrimage to “God’s holy place” today and pray at the Wailing Wall … for people still feel God’s presence at this sacred place. 

At the height of Temple worship, the people would approach the temple and pose these dual questions: “Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?  And who shall stand in [God’s] holy place?” (Psalm 24:3)    It is a way of preparing to seek God through worship.  The priests would respond with an answer:  Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully … etc.

Psalm 24 provides us with a good example of parallelism in Hebrew poetry.   Dennis Bratcher, of CRI/Voice Institute writes about Parallelism, which refers to two or more lines that are complementary.   See “The Voice” Website for a good look at several different types of this literary technique called parallelism.   In the case of Psalm 24, the lines are what Bratcher refers to as “synthetic,” which means the line that follows the first expands it.  Through parallelism, the poet, or psalmist, both reiterates his thoughts and clarifies her meaning.  The use of parallelism can mean that the core message of the text is in the larger passage.  Overall impact is felt through the larger picture rather than in individual words or single lines of writing. 

In addition to its parallelism, there is a 3-fold structure to Psalm 24:
1.    God is creator of all … people and things.  This gives us context for the relationship between God and humans
2.    The people who enter into God’s space.  This sets the parameters of human behavior before God
3.    The God who enters into human space.  This puts God firmly above and beyond the human sphere of being 

Going Deeper:  When the Psalmist uses the expression “clean hands and pure hearts” to refer to those who are able to seek God … to seek the “face of the God of Jacob” (can you see the parallelism here) he is talking about our need to take care of both the inner life and the outer life.  It is important to keep balance between the inner and outer person that we are and that we are becoming.

Although I am sure the Hebrew people knew this inner/outer balance was necessary on some level, there was an emphasis on outer cleanliness, or ritual purity.  Remember how hard it was for the Pharisees to let go of their overwhelming sense of ritual purity?  Entrance to the Temple precincts required ritual purity.  In front of the Temple stood an immense bronze water basin and along the east front of the building stood ten smaller water basins.  However, in Psalm 24 we find the expression “clean hands AND pure hearts.”  The psalmist insists that the ethical behavior he refers to as “clean hands” must be accompanied by a “pure heart.”  If our heart is pure, our actions will be right … and this has nothing to do with water.

How do you take care of your inner life?  How is your inner life manifested in your behavior?   How does this impact your understanding of the balance between inner and outer life?

In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 4:23-7:29) Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”   This is one of what we call “the beatitudes,” a word emerging from the Latin word beatus which means blessed.  It has also been translated “happy.”  In psalm 24 we find our closest parallel to what Jesus is talking about.  The psalmist is saying that “Those who have clean hands and pure hearts … will receive blessing from the Lord … those who seek [God], who seek the face of the God of Jacob.”   Jesus understood very well what the psalmist is saying and interpreted what God wants from us and for us.

Have you ever “seen” the face of God?   Can you describe what your experience was like?   What does a “pure heart” mean to you?   How can we test our heart in our efforts to grow?       

There is a certain sense that when we come to the presence of God our Creator, we must leave all of our “less than honorable” tendencies behind … we must allow our behavior to change so that we are worthy to enter into God’s presence.   We must “let go.”  This is a hard concept for human beings.   However, if we are holding on too tightly to what is in our hands, we’ll never be able to pick up anything new … blessings will always lie just beyond our reach!

What are your “less than honorable” tendencies?  (hint:  we all have them!)
How are you working to let those old habits go?  
If so, have you noticed a deeper level of peace in letting go?
What are the greatest blessings you receive from instances of letting go?
If you haven’t been able to let go of something, what is your fear or your resistance?
Where do your feelings emerge from?  
What would need to happen in your life so that you can let go in order to receive the blessings God has for you?

Pondering the Scripture: 
Lectio=Listen to the words of Psalm 24:1-6 as you read them to yourself.  Read them aloud if you can.  Read the words slowly, repeating them again and again and allowing them to linger on the tongue, savoring their beauty. 

The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it;
for [God] has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers.
Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?  And who shall stand in [God’s] holy place?
Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,
who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully.
They will receive blessing from the Lord,
and vindication from the God of their salvation.
Such is the company of those who seek [God], who seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Meditatio=Prayerfully listen as you read until a small portion of the psalm (a word or a thought or a phrase) begins to draw you deep within.  Turn your “portion” over and over in your mind and consider what God may be inviting you to think or feel or do or be … Write down what Spirit has given you so you can remember.  Stay with your “portion” and commit it to memory as your thought for the day …

Praying the Scripture:  
Oratio=Spend some time in prayer responding to God’s invitation … allow prayers of confession, petition, intercession, thanksgiving, praise, or ... to emerge in this time you are spending with God.

Contemplatio=When you runs out of words to say, simply rest in the presence of God, lingering with God in loving companionship … Amen!

Listen to Clean Hands by Chris Tomlin
Listen to The Blessing Song by John Waller on YouTube

Psalm 16: You are my Cup of Blessing

Psalm 16    A psalm of David    (New Living Translation)
 1 Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to you for refuge.
 2 I said to the LORD, “You are my Master!  Every good thing I have comes from you.” 
 3 The godly people in the land are my true heroes!   I take pleasure in them!
 4 Troubles multiply for those who chase after other gods.
      I will not take part in their sacrifices of blood or even speak the names of their gods.
 5 LORD, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. 
     You guard all that is mine.
 6 The land you have given me is a pleasant land.   What a wonderful inheritance!
 7 I will bless the LORD who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me.
 8 I know the LORD is always with me.  I will not be shaken, for [God] is right beside me.
 9 No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.  My body rests in safety. 
 10 For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.
 11 You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence
      and the pleasures of living with you forever.   Amen

Context:   When we read the psalms, we find people with deeply emotional relationships with God.  They are people who have problems but they fervently trust God against all odds.  We find people of hope who pray and sing about God in many different ways and with many different images.  Psalm 16 is attributed to David, a “man after God’s own heart.”  (See 1 Samuel 13:13-14 and Act 13:13-22)    In this psalm we get a glimpse of a man who knows where his blessings come from … our blessing come from God, who IS our cup of blessing.    

The original translation renders verse 5a simply as “the cup” but there is a much to recommend this translation’s “cup of blessing” as a good way of understanding what the psalmist means as long as we understand what is meant by the term.   The “cup of blessing” has a long history in Judaism as a significant part of the Passover Seder and in Christianity as a reference to the cup we share during Communion.  (See 1 Corinthians 10:16-17) 

During the Passover Seder, the cup of wine was raised and consumed as a blessing, or as thanksgiving was offered to God.  During the last supper, Jesus and the disciples shared the Passover meal together, during which Jesus “took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you …’” (See Matthew 26:26-27)

In my Christian faith tradition (United Methodist) we commonly refer to the sharing of the bread and the cup as The Lord’s Supper in remembrance of the last supper Jesus shared with his disciples. Just as common we may use the word “communion,” a word derived from the Latin word communio, which means sharing in common.  Many sources tell us that the corresponding Greek word is koinonia, which mean fellowship.  In the early church, the two Greek words most commonly used were eucharisteō, translated The Eucharist which means to give thanks … and eulogeō, translated The Eulogia, which means to bless.   

The word translated “bless” in verse 7 is barak {baw-rak'} which means “to bless, to kneel, to salute, to thank.”  When we “bless” God, we recognize who God is, we magnify and glorify God, we respond with gratitude that we can know God intimately and we acknowledge that God is the One who blesses us with Presence through the power of the Holy Spirit.   We “bless” God when our whole focus is on God as our “Blessing.”   When we look at this psalm which was written by a man after God’s own heart, we realize that although we are often moved to praise God abundantly for what God does for us and for what God gives to us, we should remember that in all circumstances, God AS the Source IS the blessing.  This is a fine line!  

Going Deeper:  When the Lord’s Supper is celebrated together in community, those who partake receive great blessings.  However, rather than seeing The Eucharist primarily as a time when we receive blessings, we should see it as a time of blessing, or praise toward God for the deep love and care that God has for us.  This helps us to move away from a self-centered way of seeing praise and worship to a place of God-centeredness.  This God-centeredness is what enables us to weather the storms of life, continuing to trust God in all circumstances and this sense of deep trust in God through all of life’s ups and downs is an enduring feature of the Psalms. 

Look back at Psalm 16.  See how often David praises God for who God is.  He says, “You are my master” and “you are my inheritance, my cup of blessing.”  God is a refuge for David, and David trusts God to keep him safe.  He acknowledges God as the Source of all of his material wealth.  Then David goes deeper as he says “the Lord who guides me,” and “is always with me,” and “is right beside me.”   And deeper … he says, “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.”  Forever is a long time but somehow as we come to the end of the Psalm our hearts sing together, “Forever!”   Complete this word of praise:  O God You are my Cup of Blessing for You are ___________.

Have you ever thought about God as your Cup of Blessing?   What does this expression mean in common terms that could be easily explain to someone?   Consider your prayers.  Are they self-centered or God-centered … or a little bit of both?   Take some time and create a “blessing bowl,” which is simply a bowl that helps you remember.   You can use a bowl you already have or you can find an interesting bowl at the dollar store … place some rocks, smooth stones, or shiny pebbles in your blessing bowl.  Place your blessing bowl where you can use it easily in a time of prayer, praise, and worship.  Pick up a stone and begin Let God lead you as you create a ritual of “remembrance.”  Here is an idea, but use your imagination and let Spirit lead you!  Place your blessing bowl on your desk at work or at the entrance of your home.  When people ask about it, pick up a stone and share a story of faith.  Ask them about the blessings of their life.  Invite them to take a blessing stone to remember the God who blesses them and challenge to share their story of faith with someone else and pass the blessing stone on ... 

Pondering:   Read Psalm 16 in a contemporary paraphrase called The Message Bible.   Read the pasage aloud again and again as you engage in the art of Lectio Divina, which means divine reading. 

 1-2 Keep me safe, O God, I've run for dear life to you.  I say to GOD, "Be my Lord!"  Without you, nothing makes sense.
 3 And these God-chosen lives all around— what splendid friends they make!
 4 Don't just go shopping for a god.  Gods are not for sale.  I swear I'll never treat god-names like brand-names.
 5-6 My choice is you, GOD, first and only.   And now I find I'm your choice!  You set me up with a house and yard. And then you made me your heir!
 7-8 The wise counsel GOD gives when I'm awake is confirmed by my sleeping heart.  Day and night I'll stick with GOD; I've got a good thing going and I'm not letting go.
 9-10 I'm happy from the inside out, and from the outside in, I'm firmly formed. You canceled my ticket to hell— that's not my destination!
 11 Now you've got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of your face.  Ever since you took my hand, I'm on the right way.

Lectio=Listen to the words. Read the words slowly, repeating them again and again, allowing them to linger on the tongue, savoring their beauty ...

Meditatio=Prayerfully listen as you read until a small portion of the psalm (a word or a thought or a phrase) begins to draw you deep within.  Turn your “portion” over and over in your mind and consider what God may be inviting you to think or feel or do or be … Write down what Spirit has given you so you can remember.  Stay with your “portion” and commit it to memory as your thought for the day …

Praying:   
Oratio=Spend some time in prayer responding to God’s invitation … allow prayers of confession, petition, intercession, thanksgiving, praise, or ... to emerge in this time you are spending with God.

Contemplatio=When you runs out of words to say, simply rest in the presence of God, lingering with God in loving companionship … Amen!

Follow this link to watch Our Blessing Cup which is a Communion Song by the TTK Music Group.

Psalm 121: The Lord will keep my going out and my coming in!

Psalm 121  A Song of Ascents

"Image(s) courtesy of www.HolyLandPhotos.org"

Hills west of Jerusalem (present day)

I lift up my eyes to the hills—from where will my help come?

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.

He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.

The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in
        from this time on and for evermore.

Context:  Although we do not know the author of this psalm, it is labeled A Song of Ascent.  The word translated “ascent,” or in some versions “degree,” is ma`alah {mah-al-aw'} which means “what comes up, thoughts, steps, or stairs.”   Therefore, ascent in this context literally means “going up.”   Psalm 121 is the 2nd of the 15 Psalms of Ascent (120-134).  When we consider this unique grouping of psalms we wonder … what is their significance? 

The Land of Promise is a mountainous region.  There are some who say the material for these psalms refer to the movement of the community into Canaan, the Land of Promise, under the leadership of Joshua after the Israelites escaped from Egypt, led by Moses, and wandered for 40 years in the wilderness.  Others believe these psalms emerged from the experience of the exiles returning from Babylonian to Palestine.   Most believe that these psalms were recited by Israelite worshipers as they made their pilgrimage together, on High Feast days such as Passover, to the Temple in Jerusalem nestled in the Judean Mountains.  Some say worshipers sang the fifteen psalms as they made their journey up the flight of fifteen steps leading from the outer court to the inner court of the Temple in Jerusalem, one psalm for each step they took.

Take a moment to look at a map of Ancient Israel.  Locate the mountains beside the wilderness of Judea.  Locate Jericho by the Jordan River, north of the Salt (Dead) Sea and then Jerusalem to the southwest of Jericho.   To travel from Jericho in the plains of the Jordan to Jerusalem in the hills of Judea, one would ascend 3,300 feet. 

When one reads all of the Psalms of Ascent it is clear that these beautiful writings arise from periods of “returns” of God’s chosen people, the Israelites, to the Land of Promise symbolizing their restored relationship with God.  As a result of restoration, the people once again feel protected and cared for by God, indeed they feel as though they are the chosen of God once again.  Can you envision pilgrims on their way to the Temple in Jerusalem, the Holy City, for one of their High Holy Days?  Scholars tell us that there was often much danger for these traveling pilgrims for they were easy targets for robbers and thieves.  Can you see these pilgrims looking up to the hills and can you hear Psalm 121 resonating in their hearts and bursting forth in a loud chorus as they contemplate the last leg of their journey?    The Lord will keep my going out and my coming in!

Going Deeper:  YES!  The Lord will keep my going out and my coming in!  The word shamar {shaw-mar'} is used six times in eight verses.  It is translated "keep," which means “guards” or “keeps watch over.”   How do you feel God keeps watch over you?  Is there a specific time you remember sensing God’s presence guarding you?

Psalm 121 is a song of pilgrimage.   A pilgrimage is a physical journey with a spiritual purpose.   There is a song we sing these days called The Servant Song.   One of the verses begins “We are pilgrims on a journey.”   How has your spiritual life been like a journey?   How has your community been a part of your life journey?  When have you felt closest to God?  When have you felt furthest away from God?

Psalm 121 is often read on Labyrinth Prayer Walks.

A Photo of MOSAIC's 24' Canvas "Chartres" Labyrinth

A labyrinth is a single path or “unicursal” tool for spiritual transformation.  The best known example of labyrinth is embedded in the stone pavement of Chartres Cathedral near Paris. The labyrinth in a pilgrimage cathedral was sometimes walked in place of the actual pilgrimage to Jerusalem.  Walking the labyrinth was considered a holy experience. Once there, pilgrims would end their pilgrimage by “going in” to the center, and then slowly retracing their steps as they were “coming out.”  Check my MOSAIC website for more information on the Labyrinth.  Have you ever had the opportunity to walk a labyrinth?  If you have, did you walk?  If not, why not?  If yes, what kind of experience did you have?  Did you experience God’s presence?   Why not find a labyrinth and use Psalm 121 as an entry prayer, centering your walk on God, who “keeps your going out and your coming in.”

Pondering:  Charles Wesley (1707-1788), brother of John Wesley a founder of Methodism, wrote hundreds of hymns and poems. He was one of the most prolific poets in the English language.  He wrote a hymn called Unto the Hills which was a Christ-centered paraphrase of Psalm 121 … It is not one of his most well-known hymns and it can be hard to find in hymnals or in online videos.

Read the verses of this hymn aloud … again and again as you engage in the art of Lectio Divina, which means divine reading.

1 TO the hills I lift mine eyes, The everlasting hills; Streaming thence in fresh supplies, My soul the Spirit feels.     Will he not his help afford? Help, while yet I ask, is given: God comes down; the God and Lord That made both earth and heaven.
2 Faithful soul, pray always; pray, And still in God confide; He thy feeble steps shall stay, Nor suffer thee to slide: Lean on thy Redeemer's breast; He thy quiet spirit keeps; Rest in him, securely rest; Thy watchman never sleeps.
3 Neither sin, nor earth, nor hell Thy Keeper can surprise; Careless slumbers cannot steal On his all-seeing eyes; He is Israel's sure defence; Israel all his care shall prove, Kept by watchful providence, And ever-waking love.
4 See the Lord, thy Keeper, stand Omnipotently near! Lo! He holds thee by thy hand, And banishes thy fear; Shadows with his wings thy head; Guards from all impending harms: Round thee and beneath are spread The everlasting arms.
5 Christ shall bless thy going out, Shall bless thy coming in; Kindly compass thee about, Till thou art saved from sin; Like thy spotless Master, thou, Filled with wisdom, love, and power, Holy, pure, and perfect, now, Henceforth, and evermore.

Lectio=Listen to the words. Read the words slowly, repeating them again and again, allowing them to linger on the tongue, savoring their beauty ...

Meditatio=Prayerfully listen as you read until a small portion of the psalm (a word or a thought or a phrase) begins to draw you deep within.  Turn your “portion” over and over in your mind and consider what God may be inviting you to think or feel or do or be … Write down what Spirit has given you so you can remember.  Stay with your “portion” and commit it to memory as your thought for the day …

Praying:
Oratio=Spend some time in prayer responding to God’s invitation … allow prayers of confession, petition,
intercession, thanksgiving, praise, or ... to emerge in this time you are spending with God.

Contemplatio=When you runs out of words to say, simply rest in the presence of God, lingering with God in loving companionship … Amen!

Although I was unable to find an online video or recording of Wesley’s hymn on youtube this week you can  follow this link for a nice contemporary praise song based on Psalm 121.

Psalm 80: Restore us, O God

Psalm 80   A psalm by Asaph for the music leader.

To the tune "Lilies of the Agreement.

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock!
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim,
shine forth before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh.
Stir up your might, and come to save us! 

Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
     You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure.
You make us the scorn of our neighbors; our enemies laugh among themselves. 

Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it.
    You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land.
The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches;
    it sent out its branches to the sea, and its shoots to the River.
Why then have you broken down its walls, so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
    The boar from the forest ravages it, and all that move in the field feed on it.
Turn again, O God of hosts; look down from heaven, and see;
have regard for this vine, the stock that your right hand planted.
They have burned it with fire, they have cut it down; 
     may they perish at the rebuke of your countenance.
But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand, 
     the one whom you made strong for yourself.
Then we will never turn back from you; give us life, and we will call on your name. 

Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

Context:  Psalm 80 is a communal Psalm of Lament.  Where is God?  A lament is a feeling or an expression of grief.  A Psalm of Lament can also be called a Lamentation, which is a song or poem expressing deep grief or mourning.  Psalm 80 mentions the northern tribes of “Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh” which leads many commentators to believe that it is an expression of grief that arises from people who are the Kingdom of Israel (which is the Northern Kingdom) just before or after its fall to Assyria.  Israel had been stripped of everything, even its identity as God’s chosen people … as the people were carried off in exile to a foreign land, confused and lost.  Psalm 80 may have been used in public prayers as a call for rescue and restoration.


Going Deeper:  Who is God?  There are rather compelling images of God in Psalm 80.

• The image of shepherd portrays God as the one who lovingly cares for the community.  Take a few minutes to read the 23rd psalm and remember its gentle shepherd? 
• Next, there is the image of God’s presence with the people in the temple, resting on the “mercy seat” of the Ark of the Covenant, enthroned upon the cherubim.   Remember the call of Isaiah and his vision of God?
• Consider the image of God as the Vine-Grower, who abandons the vine to grow wild and suffer from neglect and destruction.  
• Finally, the people call upon the God who blesses, the God with the shining face, the God who will save them. 

What do each of these images say to you about who God is?   Which image touches you?  Is this God one in whom you could put your trust as the community does?   Is this the God you trust today to rescue and restore you when you feel abandoned?   Is this the God you can honestly pour out your troubles to?  How would you describe the God whom you reach out to when you are suffering?

Psalm 80 follows a standard model* for a “Psalm of Lament.”  Take a moment to examine Psalm 80 to see if you can find the basic structure for this psalm of lament:
1.    Call
2.    Description of trouble
3.    Plea for God to respond
4.    Statement of trust that God is listening
5.    Vow or expression of praise

Although Psalm 80 is a communal lament, this model is a very good model for prayer in which an individual can pour out deeper, darker emotions in times of suffering and grief.  Consider an issue that you might take to the God you trust in prayer … on your own behalf or perhaps on behalf of another person or a community.  Your psalm of lament can be as short as 5 lines but it can be as long as it takes to say what you need to say … For an example, go to imamosaic.blogspot.com to see my psalm of lament.

Pondering:  Read the verses of Psalm 80:1-3, 17-19 aloud … again and again as you engage in the art of Lectio Divina, which means divine reading.   OR *Use the psalm of lament you wrote as you were “Going Deeper.”

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock!
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, 
shine forth before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh.
Stir up your might, and come to save us!
Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
You have fed them with the bread of tears, 
and given them tears to drink in full measure.
You make us the scorn of our neighbors; our enemies laugh among themselves.
Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand, 
the one whom you made strong for yourself.
Then we will never turn back from you; give us life, and we will call on your name.
Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

Lectio=Listen to the words. Read the words slowly, repeating them again and again, allowing them to linger on the tongue, savoring their beauty ...

Meditatio=Prayerfully listen as you read until a small portion of the psalm (a word or a thought or a phrase) begins to draw you deep within.  Turn your “portion” over and over in your mind and consider what God may be inviting you to think or feel or do or be … Write down what Spirit has given you so you can remember.  Stay with your “portion” and commit it to memory as your thought for the day …

Praying:  
Oratio=Spend some time in prayer responding to God’s invitation … allow prayers of confession, petition,
intercession, thanksgiving, praise, or ... to emerge in this time you are spending with God.
Contemplatio=When you runs out of words to say, simply rest in the presence of God, lingering with God in loving companionship … Amen!

*Check out this website if you are interested in a more in depth look at the structure of Psalms of Lament
Listen to The Vineyard of the Lord, which is a song based on Psalm 80 written and performed by Craig and Kristen Colson.